#he's not gonna withdraw in that way while everyone goes oh well haha thats just how leo is now no they'd fuckin... talk to their brother

[thisisadonaldduckblognow]

i also think the take that leo’s post-movie character shift long term is to distance himself and ~hold himself separate~ from his brothers and treat them a little differently and train all the time etc simply Doesn’t Track btw

doing it as a major initial overcorrection bc of guilt and having to be like intervened with, i can see happening, and overall getting better at buckling down/communicating w his team for sure yeah

but like the idea that that is a change he makes to himself forever going forward (especially if it means his brothers/april not clocking it and calling him out on that nonsense, especially especially if it involves splinter noticing it and ENCOURAGING HIM to keep holding himself apart like that’s so not rise splinter at all) just does not feel right

for me it undermines the core statements that the series and movie are going for: you are not alone, we do it together, he hasn’t seen what we can do when we work together, this isn’t about you (i think this one in particular bc what is withdrawing from your loved ones and holding yourself in a different category bc Must Be Leaderly if not making things about yourself just in a different way to how you were doing it before?)

[oojamaflip-whatchamacallit]

#so so much of the message of the narratives are ultimately about love and togetherness#how self sacrifice can come from a place of love but it is still damaging#how no one can or should carry the weight of everything alone! bc they are not alone!#more than any other tmnt iteration that is what they drive home; the togetherness#one of the emotional high points and triumphs of the finale! is raph realizing all this!#that it's not just on him that they all carry it together and that makes them stronger!#that was like his biggest struggle wanting to shoulder things and be there for everyone#without thinking it was fair of him to ask to lean back on them too (even though they would and did in a heartbeat catch him!!!)#baby leo reached for splinter leo reached for karai when they left her he was in FRONT reaching for raph in the trust fall#he reached for krang zombie raph when they had to leave him behind too like#he's insecure and scared and has a habit of masking his vulnerability but like#he's not gonna withdraw in that way while everyone goes oh well haha thats just how leo is now no they'd fuckin... talk to their brother#idk what im even getting around to anymore im just bummed

i also think the take that leo’s post-movie character shift long term is to distance himself and ~hold himself separate~ from his brothers and treat them a little differently and train all the time etc simply Doesn’t Track btw

doing it as a major initial overcorrection bc of guilt and having to be like intervened with, i can see happening, and overall getting better at buckling down/communicating w his team for sure yeah

but like the idea that that is a change he makes to himself forever going forward (especially if it means his brothers/april not clocking it and calling him out on that nonsense, especially especially if it involves splinter noticing it and ENCOURAGING HIM to keep holding himself apart like that’s so not rise splinter at all) just does not feel right

for me it undermines the core statements that the series and movie are going for: you are not alone, we do it together, he hasn’t seen what we can do when we work together, this isn’t about you (i think this one in particular bc what is withdrawing from your loved ones and holding yourself in a different category bc Must Be Leaderly if not making things about yourself just in a different way to how you were doing it before?)